Bruckner Symphony No.6 (New “Urtext” Edition 2016 by Benjamin Gunnar-Cohrs).
LSO/Rattle. LSO Live New Release, Qobuz-S 24/96.
With wonderfully subtle phrasing and dynamics, exquisitely flexible tempi riding every mood, such clear, soft wind and horn counterpoints in an explosively virtuosic LSO response, this is a terrific Bruckner 6th, one of the best I’ve heard for some time (and I’ve heard quite a few).
The morse-code motif is initially soft, mysterious, slightly understated; but the underlying pulse is firm and clear, never lacking weight into the thrillingly brassy climaxes; into the gesangs and third subject groups the gearshifts are never stiff or awkward.
But early first-movement energies are aptly held in reserve; tension and repressed urgency through the gesangs as well. Serious longterm thinking - and sounding - going on here, gathering strength and brilliance through the development/recap dovetail and only releasing its full fire-power in the very last bars.
One of Bruckner’s greatest inspirations, the three-wave coda cumulates magnificently; but - crucially - the conclusion itself is still more magnificent. How wonderfully thought-through this passage is.
The movement is marvellously done, with an irresistible momentum; you’ll probably want to replay it before proceeding further.
A lovely, flowingly natural adagio, the LSO strings outstandingly articulate and expressive, with those clear, soft horn and wind counterpoints to relish dreamily again. Not a note goes to waste or is lost to routine. (I began to imagine how they would play the andante from the 2nd Symphony).
A scherzo perfectly witty, deft and characterful…tongue-in-cheek, yet evocative of the nocturne.
Then that very tricky, complex, volatile finale; so naturally judged in pace and dynamic, you feel it can only be this way, on this day. The signatory 2+3 figure that gradually insinuates into the finale is as convincingly natural, fluid and songful, woven so seamlessly in, as I’ve ever enjoyed.
Rattle can dwell upon the lyrical, reflective episodes (there are quite a few in this astonishingly concise movement) without a hint of indulgence or exaggeration. He has achieved - or arrived at - an understanding of this difficult piece at once intuitive and reflective.
***
The Barbican can never be the ideal Bruckner soundspace, but the slightly dull or muted sound at lower levels and the lack of a vividly present acoustic is excitingly offset by that explosive dynamic response, and the sheer body of orchestral sound, as the levels rise; pianissimos are magically soft at the other extreme (even in the absence of a space around them). Brass-topped climaxes are splendid; string-dominated ones, say in the adagio, can harden just a little.
In some readings the finale coda can seem justifiably ambiguous, as if there may be more to say; well, not here - it is really thrilling, splendidly conclusive!
LSO/Rattle. LSO Live New Release, Qobuz-S 24/96.
With wonderfully subtle phrasing and dynamics, exquisitely flexible tempi riding every mood, such clear, soft wind and horn counterpoints in an explosively virtuosic LSO response, this is a terrific Bruckner 6th, one of the best I’ve heard for some time (and I’ve heard quite a few).
The morse-code motif is initially soft, mysterious, slightly understated; but the underlying pulse is firm and clear, never lacking weight into the thrillingly brassy climaxes; into the gesangs and third subject groups the gearshifts are never stiff or awkward.
But early first-movement energies are aptly held in reserve; tension and repressed urgency through the gesangs as well. Serious longterm thinking - and sounding - going on here, gathering strength and brilliance through the development/recap dovetail and only releasing its full fire-power in the very last bars.
One of Bruckner’s greatest inspirations, the three-wave coda cumulates magnificently; but - crucially - the conclusion itself is still more magnificent. How wonderfully thought-through this passage is.
The movement is marvellously done, with an irresistible momentum; you’ll probably want to replay it before proceeding further.
A lovely, flowingly natural adagio, the LSO strings outstandingly articulate and expressive, with those clear, soft horn and wind counterpoints to relish dreamily again. Not a note goes to waste or is lost to routine. (I began to imagine how they would play the andante from the 2nd Symphony).
A scherzo perfectly witty, deft and characterful…tongue-in-cheek, yet evocative of the nocturne.
Then that very tricky, complex, volatile finale; so naturally judged in pace and dynamic, you feel it can only be this way, on this day. The signatory 2+3 figure that gradually insinuates into the finale is as convincingly natural, fluid and songful, woven so seamlessly in, as I’ve ever enjoyed.
Rattle can dwell upon the lyrical, reflective episodes (there are quite a few in this astonishingly concise movement) without a hint of indulgence or exaggeration. He has achieved - or arrived at - an understanding of this difficult piece at once intuitive and reflective.
***
The Barbican can never be the ideal Bruckner soundspace, but the slightly dull or muted sound at lower levels and the lack of a vividly present acoustic is excitingly offset by that explosive dynamic response, and the sheer body of orchestral sound, as the levels rise; pianissimos are magically soft at the other extreme (even in the absence of a space around them). Brass-topped climaxes are splendid; string-dominated ones, say in the adagio, can harden just a little.
In some readings the finale coda can seem justifiably ambiguous, as if there may be more to say; well, not here - it is really thrilling, splendidly conclusive!
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